Gasoline prices continue to rise in Rochester area

Gasoline prices in Rochester have continued to rise since the beginning of the year, but remain lower than prices a year ago, a weekly survey by GasBuddy Organization LLC shows.

Locally, gas prices have increased from $3.61 a gallon a month ago to $3.74 this week, but remain lower than the $3.89 a gallon posted in March 2013. Rochester’s gas prices remain significantly higher than the national average of $3.50 a gallon, GasBuddy reports.

“The national average has unsurprisingly continued its march higher, and for the sixth consecutive week motorists have faced rising gasoline prices,” GasBuddy senior petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan said, adding he does not believe drivers have seen the peak in prices yet.

Refineries are in the middle of one of two major annual maintenance seasons, DeHaan noted.

“As refineries wrap up their work in April we could see restarting issues, which could bring the spikes in gasoline prices we’re nearly accustomed to seeing every spring,” he added.

GasBuddy operates more than 250 websites, including RochesterGasPrices.com, tracking gas prices at more than 140,000 stations nationwide. In Rochester, GasBuddy tracks price changes at more than 300 retail outlets.